The present invention relates to a string tree, more particularly to a string tree which is easily assembled and dissembled.
A Christmas tree, in its basic form, has the outline of an upright cone or in some instances such an upright cone which has been truncated at the top. While decorative minature or midget lamps are preferably disposed not only on the periphery of the tree, but also in the interior thereof (that is, along the branches thereof), a visual approximation thereof is obtainable by providing an upright cone with light strings extending in straight lines along the periphery of the cone between the top and bottom thereof. Such an arrangement of light strings and the structure supporting the same are known as a “string tree”.
String trees may be made with each of the light strings providing steady illumination or with some or all of the light strings flashing on and off in unison or in sequence. Alternatively, each light string or group of light strings may flash independently of other light strings or groups of light strings. Indeed, individually shunted flashing lamps (commonly called “twinkle bulbs”) may be used to create random flashing of individual lamps along a given light string. Further, controllers may be used to cause lamps or light strings to flash in various patterns selected by the user.
A string tree may vary greatly in height and base diameter depending, to a large degree, on whether they are to be deployed as a table ornament, as a room ornament (much as a traditional Christmas tree), or as an outdoor structure. However, regardless of the size of the string tree, for shipping and storage purposes it is critical that the string tree be easily, simply and quickly convertible between its assembled conical use or display orientation and its disassembled flat or planar storage/shipment orientation (preferably in a sturdy package providing some protection, especially for the fragile lamps). For a string tree of substantial size, shipment from a manufacturer or retailer in the use orientation would not be economical and, therefore, it falls upon the unskilled user not only to initially assemble the string tree into the use orientation, at the beginning of the season to but also at the end of the season to disassemble it into the storage orientation (for reassembling into the use orientation at the beginning of the next season). Clearly, conversion between the planar storage orientation and the conical use orientation should be as simple, easy and quick as possible.
Accordingly, it is an object to provide a string tree, characterized by a disassembled planar storage orientation and an assembled conical use orientation, which in a preferred embodiment is easily, simply and quickly converted from one orientation to the other even by a relatively unskilled user.
Another object is to provide such a string tree which in a preferred embodiment is simple, easy and economical to manufacture, use and maintain.
A further object is to provide a method for simply, easily and quickly, assembling and disassembling such a string tree.